Vaccines, Artificial Intelligence and Summer Programmes

6 min read

From now on the weekly research update will be known as the ‘Worldwide Research News’ and all previous editions will be located here on the Research News section of the Brain Tumour Research website. The reason for the change is to make it easier to differentiate the Research News coming out of our Centres of Excellence from the weekly roundup of news worldwide.  Over the coming weeks you will see all previous editions retagged as Worldwide Research News, which should make them stand out.

Research:

Cancer Vaccine to Simultaneously Kill and Prevent Brain Cancer Developed. Dr Khalid Shah, a member of the Brain Tumour Research Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (SMAB), and his team, have developed a new cell therapy approach to eliminate established tumours and induce long-term immunity. The approach uses gene-edited cancer cells that release a therapeutic agent to kill tumour cells as well as stimulate the immune system to destroy both primary tumour cells and subsequent tumour cells. The team tested their therapy in advanced mouse models of glioblastoma, with promising results. Published in Science Translational Medicine  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) better than human eye at predicting brain metastasis outcomes Researchers at York University, Canada, have developed an innovative AI technique for analysing the MRIs of patients with brain metastases. The technique could help detect radiotherapy failure in brain metastasis early and may be able to help oncologists and patients make better informed decisions and adjust treatments.

UCSF Researchers Identify the Cellular Source of Recurrent Glioblastoma Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered how cancer cells evade targeted therapy using an escape mechanism called phenotype switching, potentially explaining the failure of precision therapies for glioblastoma to date. Published in Nature Cancer, the study identified that the pathway responsible for this phenotypic change was stimulated by the activator protein (AP1).

Treatments:

MimiVax Announces Positive Final Data from the Phase IIa Study of SurVaxM for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma  The results, published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, demonstrated higher survival rates than has been seen historically from standard care. SurVaxM, given to newly diagnosed GBM patients alongside TMZ following surgery, is a peptide vaccine conjugate that has been shown to activate the immune system against its target molecule survivin, which is highly expressed by GBM cells.

Opportunities:

There is a fantastic opportunity for a postdoctoral research assistant to work in Professor Silvia Marino’s lab at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London. Silvia leads the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the Institute, studying glioblastoma (GBM) and some rarer, primarily childhood tumours, such as medulloblastoma.

Postdoctoral research assistant, closing date 26th January 2023

 - Project: exploiting deregulated epigenetic mechanisms to inform the design of precision medicine approaches in m­alignant brain tumours of childhood.

Could you host a summer student and help make a career in research more accessible?

In2scienceUK is calling for cancer research labs in London and Cambridge to host undergrads for its In2research programme.  Hosts will supervise participants for an 8-week, paid summer research placement, providing them with experiences and confidence to access postgraduate research degrees and careers.

Submit a proposal here by 27th January to be a placement host and help promote social mobility and build a more inclusive research community.

Funding opportunity for a Phase II multi-arm platform study in paediatric high grade glioma in the UK, with £300,000 per year, up to 5 years.  The Brain Tumour Charity is accepting applications from UK-based universities, NHS site or other recognised UK higher research institutions. 

Grant call deadline for applications: Tuesday 31st January 2023 at 1pm (UK time).

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